Hump Day!

 

BOX SCORE



Element

Current

Std. Range

Hemoglobin

11.6

13-17

Platelets

203

140-375

ANC

2100

1800-8300

It's Hump Day! This is day 4 of the seven day stretch of daily chemo injections. So, although it is Thursday on the calendar, and not Wednesday, it is Hump Day. Halfway through this cycle of injections. I guess when you are quarantined and going through something you'd rather not, you tend to grab at straws for something to celebrate. Hump Day is good enough!

Jill and I hang on to Psalm 118:24: 

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

When you get right down to it, every day is a day for rejoicing. We give thanks for each and every day, because, truly, each one is a gift. So, why not celebrate Hump Day, too? 

Speaking of grabbing at straws, the big item on the agenda today, now that my medical stuff for the day is behind us, is to have the Ford serviced. I don't even remember when we had it done last. The little sticker they put in the window showing when service is due, including the date and mileage, is all smeared and unreadable. Oddly enough, I give thanks for that. It is my excuse, in case we are overdue for service. 

Other good news includes: I feel good! My blood counts are up, and other than hemoglobin, everything is in the normal zone. Our new HVAC system is working great. The temperatures have been in the 90s for the better part of a week, but we remain cool and comfy in our little home. Jill calls it a cottage, but I wonder. 

We like to watch an English TV show called "Escape to the Country." It's a reality series about people in England, mainly London, moving to some rural location to get away from urban life. It is beautifully done with amazing photography of the quaint villages and stunning countryside. The music is lovely and the show includes lots of interesting history, as well as featured cottage industries and manors and castles. 

Anyway, in this series the [real] estate agents refer to small two story homes as cottages and small one story homes as bungalows. So, do we live in a cottage or a bungalow, since we have only one story. I guess the answer is, "It doesn't really matter." We love our home and feel grateful to be allowed to live in a lovely rural area among incredible neighbors. If 1,439 square feet can  qualify as a dream home, then this is our dream home. 

Say, that was a bit of a rabbit trail, eh? One of the things that happens when a guy is in a life threatening situation is that he is given a choice. He can moan and groan and complain about how unjust the whole thing is, OR he can realize how fortunate he is to be alive and aware enough to go through the ordeal. I have chosen the latter, and I find that gratitude is the best medicine, although I will concede that laughter comes in a close second, with apologies to the old adage. 

...give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Isn't it interesting that the Apostle Paul, who was shipwrecked more than once, stoned and left for dead, and imprisoned multiple times for his faith would write such a thing? Why do you think that is? My personal opinion is that he learned through all of his trials that focusing on the negatives in life never helps, but focusing on the gifts of God is uplifting. I suppose that is why he also wrote:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)

And finally, I will leave you with this from 1 John 4:4:

...for he [God] who is in you is greater than he [Satan] who is in the world.

Listening to the lies of Satan, telling you that everything is awful and that God doesn't care about you, gives him [Satan] power over you, but focusing on God, Who loves you so much that He gave up His only Son so that you may have a life of abundance, will set you free. So, why not celebrate what you have? It's much more satisfying than complaining about what you don't have.

 





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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